Being fashion-forward means staying ahead of the trends yet applying them to your own style. For the self-styled sartorialist, the move to summer means the chance to play with a fresh set of trends, mixing and matching looks to update and elevate your current wardrobe staples.

This year’s collections have taken the best of catwalk designs and transformed them into iconic and memorable ready-to-wear pieces that are both affordable and on-trend. While there are plenty of ways to change up your summer wardrobe, these top 5 trends have made our cut as easy to incorporate must-haves this fashion season.

From tips for dressing to accessories to incorporate, here are 5 staples that will carry you through summer and the remainder of 2018.

1. Vertical Stripes

Stripes are a classic that are making their presence known once again this season. They’re easy, transitional and perfect for summer style.

With a modern twist, vertical stripes have featured prominently in both SS17 and SS18 shows. Menswear lines are focusing on bringing variety in verticals using the thickness of the stripe, the length of sleeves and the collar.

If you’re going for a classic vertical striped shirt, for example, pick a cotton style with a classic collar. If you’re looking for something a little more casual and eye-catching, opt for a vertical striped shirt that features a curved hem, a high Chinese collar or a boucle weave.

2. It’s All About Tone

As classic as a sweater over a collared shirt, tonal dressing is making a resurgence. It’s a great way to create a cohesive look while bringing together items that might otherwise get missed in your wardrobe.

It works just as well with muted, classic colors like black, navy, grey and beige as it does for bright reds and funky yellows.

So what is tonal dressing? Pick one color and simply choose multiple shades in that same color or ‘tone’ across your look. For example, if you pick ‘blue’, you could choose a darker blue, round neck, waffle top with lighter, faded blue jeans and it would pull the look together perfectly because the theme of blue continues through the outfit.

Tonal dressing is very flexible and classic. You’re not limited to single shades, either. You can pick funky prints or use interesting textures to make your outfits come alive.

The beauty of tonal dressing is that you can even incorporate prints and textures as long as the main tone remains consistent. This consistency is what pulls the look together.

3. Dad Denim

For women, there was mom jeans. For men, there’s dad denim.

These are baggy jeans with higher waists that have received a serious 90s revamp for 2018.

Perfect for everyday wear, they’re comfortable and best of all, you can opt for a slimmer cut that merely skims your leg for a more fitted, put together look.

Modern day ‘dad jeans’ can also include a tapered look by cuffing the pant leg or fraying the hems. These unexpected finishes will help highlight the fact that you didn’t just go through your dad’s closet for his old pair.

Dad jeans should be in a lighter, faded wash, rather than the block blue denim from the 90s.

4. This Season’s Sneakers

We now delve into the sneakers making waves across the industry in 2018.

First off, straight from the runway, fashion houses are fattening up the soles, creating the ‘ugly’ sneaker trend. Chunky trainers with up to three soles from designers Balenciaga, Gucci and Louis Vuitton are taking the sneaker world by storm with the trend clogging up Instagram feeds.

The likes of New Balance, Fila and even Zara have taken on the challenge of translating this style for the high street with great success. Add to this, graffit-clad sneakers and you have another great option to choose from.

There are collaborations abound from Pharrell and Adidas to Virgil Abloh (Off White) and Converse as well as Nike, Levi’s and Nike Air Jordans and COMME des Garcons and Nike Air Max, but you have to be quick to get your hands on these – keep any eye out for the next collaborations and sneaker releases at Sneaker News.

The future is here with trainers now having in built tech. Innovations like ripstop fabrics, carbon 4D and Futurecraft make high performance high tech as well.

On the other hand, if you’re a lover of a more slim and sleek design, there’s always the old classics — and summer is seeing a very deliberate return to them. Expect classic brands like Converse One Stars and Chuck Taylors and the Nike Air Force 1 to make an as ever popular appearance.

5. The Ultimate Timeless Accessory

They say you can judge the cut of a man’s character from his timepiece.

Okay, ‘they’ don’t actually say that. But we’ve definitely seen an undeniable correlation between the style of a man and his attention to detail.

As they go, watches are investment pieces that add a subtle level of sophistication to a man’s outfit. Many celebrations and birthdays get marked by a classic and simple watch. As you progress your personal style and wardrobe to match, watches become those investment pieces that, ironically, withstand the test of time.

This year, classic brands are returning to the forefront. This return to form creates timepieces that, like the trend of dad jeans and old Chuck Taylors, demonstrate a sense of nostalgia. Except these pieces aren’t to be worn ironically. Instead, watches like the Frederique Constant watch range exude class, refinement and luxury.

Another popular option for classic timepieces that do retro in a very modern and refined style is Longines.

The heritage of Longines is a focus on tradition, elegance and performance. These timepieces don’t seek to reinvent the wheel. Rather, they focus on the most classic aspects of a well-made watch.

These include lacquered, polished straps and generous, classic faces, Swiss movement, and beautiful design all evolved for modern-day performance.

Before we leave you to run to your nearest high street store (or pop open a browser window), here are a couple of pro tips to take your look to the next level.

• First off, every item looks best when you’ve tailored them to your size and fit. Even dad denims that are supposed to be on the baggier and more casual side may require a little hem and tuck here and there (waistbands and cuffs on the leg) to give your signature look a real customized feel.
• Next, make sure that your details (like watches, belts and shoes) complement your overall style. For example, more fitted shirts with a clean silhouette go best with a thinner belt and a watch with a slimmer band. Baggier bottoms or hoodies with a greater ‘slouch’ factor can withstand the weight of a chunkier metal strap.
• Remember, it’s about how all the elements work together to carry on a look of continuity in your outfit.

Now, you are set to start updating your wardrobe for 2018 and for investment pieces to last a lifetime.